![]() Ideally, once you’ve done all this, the balances should match exactly. Then, subtract these from the balance in your checking account to bring the two balances in line with one another. You’ll also want to look at your bank statement for any fees that might have been applied to your account such as, overdrafts, ATM transactions, or monthly surcharges. Likewise, if you have any payments that haven’t cleared, you’ll need to add those to your bank’s balance. If you have any deposits that haven’t cleared, you’ll need to subtract them from the bank’s balance. It’s somewhat tedious but it’s at the heart of balancing a checkbook, since you need to know exactly how your records match up with your bank’s. If you’re using software, you might be able to do this electronically. Go through the statement line-by-line and check off which payments and deposits have cleared, and which are still outstanding. The fact is, not all payments or deposits from or into a checking account clear immediately, and you’ll need to determine the status of all pending transactions in order to balance your account. Step 4: Check What’s Cleared and What Hasn’t If it’s not, however, it’s time for the next step. If the number is the same, lucky you! Your account has balanced. Record the balance that is at the last transaction on your account and then compare that balance to the one that’s after the same transaction in your records. This will let you know the window of time that you’re looking at and give you the baseline figure from which you can balance your checking account. You’ll also want to look for the last transaction to determine whether it’s a payment or a deposit. This will be a specific date and time, and your statement will have this marked at the top for your information. It’s important that you understand where the statement ends and when the bank stopped figuring amounts. Quicken has software tools that aggregate all your account information for you into an easy-to-read format. Depending on your financial institution, you might also be able to integrate your statements with your accounting software, so that your statement automatically gets aligned with the records you’ve been keeping. If you’re not sure how to get your statement, log into your bank account and check under “settings.” There is usually an option there to get your statement by mail, by email, or by both. It’s vital that you access and save your statements, even when they’re electronic. Many people never even look at their bank statements, especially when they’re paperless and sent via email. It seems obvious, but this is a vital step. ![]() If you use an accounting program or app, like ’s free money management tools, these amounts will be electronically recorded for you, which will help you stay organized if you forget to write something down. Write them in exactly, since exact amounts are key to balancing your account. ![]() This means that every time you use your debit card, write a check, deposit a check, make a withdrawal, transfer money, or make automated payments or deposits, you need to record it in your check register. You must keep records of all of your deposits and purchases if you want to have any hope of balancing your checking account. With all of that in mind, here is how to balance your checkbook in five easy steps: Step 1: Keep Records ![]() It’s vital to know what’s in your account and where your money goes each month, since it’s the only way you will know for sure how much money you have, avoid overdrafts and completely understand your financial situation. Knowing how to balance a checking account is still important, maybe even more so in this era of e-money. In fact, some people have done away with actual, physical checkbooks entirely by paying their bills entirely online, with debit cards, or by automatic payment. Balancing a checkbook has become something of a lost art in this era of digital access to accounts, online bill payments, debit cards, and other forms of electronic money. ![]()
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